Timberwolves guard Ricky Rubio said he has spoken with Kevin Love and said Love told him that it’s been “hard on him” to be away from the team.

Love is recovering from surgery on his right hand on Jan. 15 and is not expected to play until at least mid-March.

“He wants to be here, especially with the tough moment we’re trying to get through,” Rubio said of Love after the Wolves’ practice Tuesday, Feb. 5. “It’s enough for him to deal with his own things and try to deal with our things too.”

Love has been away from the team since undergoing surgery in New York to repair the third and fourth metacarpal bones in his right hand. Love refractured the bones Jan. 3 at Denver and required surgery. He was projected to miss eight to 10 weeks. The Wolves have not said when Love will resume his rehab work in the Twin Cities.

Love did not require surgery when he originally broke the two bones in October while doing knuckle push-ups at his home. The two-time all-star has appeared in only 18 of the Wolves’ 45 games. He was averaging 18.3 points and 14.0 rebounds before the Denver game.

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